One-man control fob tractor and truck attachments



M. A. HARRISON MAR CONTROL FOR TRACTOR AND TRUCK ATTACHMERTS OriginalFiled Aug. l0 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invent nr. MorzmCrAHarrisnn.

f/ Ummm/w( Jan. 8, 1924. 1,479,912

M. A. HARRISON ONE-MAN'CONTROL FOR TRACTOR AND TRUCK ATTACHMENTS Original Filed Aug. 10, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 4- 1. /7 mmf-35 ffm.

li i z Y MorimerA..Ha.rr$on Jan. 8 1924.

M. A. HARRISON ONE-MAN CONTROL FOR TRACTORAND TRUCK ATTACHMENTS original Filed Aug. 1o. 1920 4 sheets-smet s n.. Q vm W ol .cH nA. m ww k mf. M4 0 .K5 QQ, Q M nm. Q Q m5.

"mnest I Jan. 8, 1924. l

' M. A. HARRISON ONE-MAN CONTROL FOR TRACTOR AND TRUCK ATTACmITS' Original Filed Aug. .v10 1920 4 Sheets-Shea?, 4

Invent'or. Mormr'AJlavrson.

Mm www# Patented dan. 8, 1924. y

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTIMER A. HARRISON, OF MADERA, CALJtlORNIA.

ONE-MAN CONTRQL FORVTRAC'IOR AND TRUCK ATTAGHMENTS.

Application filed` August 10, 1920, Serial No. 402,715. Renewed October 2, 1923.

T @ZZ who/m, t may concern: and blinding. This dust rises in such a Way 55 Be it known that I, Mourir/im: A. HARRI- that it often happens that the helper on the SON, a citizen of the United States, residing leveler is unable, on account of the dust, to

at Madera, in the county of Madera and see the driver on the tractor; While at the yState of California, have invented a new same time the driver on the tractor is in 'fand useful One-Man Control for Tractor practically pure air. 60

and Truck Attachments, ofnwhich the fol- Another difliculty present in the operalowing1 is a specication. tion of the leveler blade as heretofore, is At the present time tractors and trucks are that the helper on the leveler is knot so able often connected to other devices such` as to determine What load is put on the engine;

trailers and road-and-iield levelers which and he frequently Will stall, over-load, or 65 have operable parts, thev operation of which cause an undue strain, on the engine. This requires the attention of a helper in addi diiiculty is Wholly overcome through this intion to the driver of the tractor or truck. vention by placing the entire operation of For example; in road--and-land levelers, tractor and leveler, under-the control ofthe a scraper blade is provided which isadjustdriver so that he can regulate the load ac- 70 able to different heights relative to the tread cording` to the power of the engine. One of the Wheels of the device which supports reason for this discrepancy between the rethe scraper blade; and the regulation of such quirements of the Work andthe operation height is effected by means of a compressed of the machine by the helper, is that the air cylinder and piston koperatingthrough helper is unable to determine the character 75 suitable mechanism andcontrolled by the of the ground, Whether hard or soft and helper who stands on the leveler. proportion the depth of ycut to thev proper There are several serious objections atduty ofthe engine.` The disagreeable chartending this practice'in addition to the exacter of the Work on account of the dust pense of the helper. F or example; at times makes it impossible to obtain helpers except 80 the dust arising from the earth that is' being from the class that are so ineicient that they leveled, is so thick as to prevent the helper are unable to determine the Work by the on the leveler from seeing the holes or insound of the engine. e

equalities of the earth surface; and in con- An object of this invention is to make it sequence of this it often occurs that lthe possible for the engine driver to do the Work S5 helper is unable to either pick up' or drop the of the helper in addition to the usual Work dirt at the exact places Where such operaof the driver without materially addingl to tions, respectively, are necessary. This dust his labor, and in fact at the same time l`givingdoes not interfere With the vision of the him such perfect control of the load that the` driver of the tractor, because it is produced strain of operation, the feeling' of responsi- 90 by the tractor itself, and yonly obscures the bility, and the losses that arise on account of earth from the one on the leveler. repairs are so reduced as to really lessen the Furthermore the driver on the tractor is labor of the driver. Great responsibility is 40 advised of each rise and depression of the taken off of his mind because he knows that land by the movement up and down of the he will be enabled to operate themachine tractor on which he rides, so that he can soon to its greatest efficiency With the least likeliaccustom himself to determine j ust what irhood of damage to the engine or other parts regularities would pass under the leyfeler of the apparatus; und consequently he `works 45 blace as the machine progresses. lor this under less strain.

reason it is desirable that the elevation and llVith respect to trailers behind trucks or depression of the leveler blade be controlled tractors, it is customary to fit such trailers yby an operator ridingonthe tractor. Herewith mechanically operated brakes which tofore this has not been possible must be attended to upon certain portions 50 A further objection to operating the levelof the road. Such attention usually requires er blade by one stationed on the leveler, is a helper on one or more of the trailers with the dust which is forced upon the helper a possible connection by a rope by Which the riding on the levelen, Saidl Clust rising to mechanicallv operated brake of one trailer 'the level ofhis nostrils and eyes, is suflocatingv may be 'controlled' from another trailer or from the truck or tractor. The expense and difficulty of such an aii.'aiigg'einerit is so great that it is quite frequently the case that the trailers are not fitted-with any brakes whatever; and the whole control of the train devolves upon the tractoll or truck. rlhis state of affairs frequently resultsV in accidents;

An object of this invention is to make it perfectly feasible, at moderate expense, to bring the whole train of mechanically op erated equipments of trailers and truck or tractor under the positive control of the driver; leaving his hands free for other operations.

l This invention relates-to a. labor saving arrangement whereby compressed air controlling-means for land levelers drawn by tractors may be operated efficiently and economically. In the present state ofi the artit requires two inen to operate the tractor drawn land-leveling outfit, one for tlietractor andv one for the leveler andinthe larger machines, the leveler blade is iny somey instances operable up and down by compressed air generated by av compressor on the tractor. It, isy imm aterial, howevenfto the. purposes off this invention,v where the compressor islocated.

An object` of'this invention is to provide an improvementA in lsuch machines whereby. one ofthe operators now required may be dispensed with; and, my invcnilnon` is broadly new, basic and' pioneer in-` that l mount upon the tractor underv the control of the tractor driver, acoinpressed-air li nebetwcen the air compressor andthe cylinder that opH eratestheleveler blade; and provide a valve,v and yielding means ivl'iereby the valve is normally:l held in neutral.. position-g. said; yielding means being adapted upon one or the other of. two alternative in( ments. to

apply the air to operate the leveler blade asv may be required.

Theinvention includes the generalcoinbination above set forth and various parte and combinations of parts as will hereintvftcri more fully appear, and applies equallyy to either truck, or tractor, which, for the purpose hereof are considered as the same.

The principle of the invention isa-ppliica ble for air controlled n'iechanicaly brakes on. tractor or truck trailers and will be soy illusinvasie this invention. Parts of the tractor and leveler are shown in broken lines, and parts of the pipe connections are showndisplaced from actual position, so' as to avoid confusion of lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the control mechanism located in the air line. The section is taken longitudinally relative to the valve rod and transversely relative to the tractor,A online ai?, FigiY 6.A Broken lines indicate a position for raising the leveler blade.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the controlling device shown in Fig. 2, omitting the lid of the case.

Fig. 4 is a plan analogous to Fig. 3 omit-v ting the slide and the meansby which the ance of a truckl whi'chis shown in.- phantom form. by broken lines.

Fig. 11 is a view partly in plan andpartly perspective of the piping'and control showing the circulation of air through the` whole system which is installed on the trncln As fragment of the connection for the trailer` breaking contrivance shown 1n Figs. 8 and.

9 is also shown in Figsl0 and 1l.

Referring first to Figs. lf?

lhe tractor l and the leveleii 2 .may each be of any approved construction and they are detachably connected together at 3ii1l the usual way, so that by detaching the levcler the tractor may be used independently, and for other work: than leveling.`

Vlhe levelcr is provided with the usual. cylinder 4, piston 5 and piston rod (i connected to the Walking beam` 7 with the rear end of the levelerblade ll., w' irhis conncctedwith tongue 12 andY pivot 13 to the leveler traine lthat as aforesaidis;

detachably connected at 5l' with the tractor` traine. buclile l/l for length adpistinenta-nd ispifvotallyconne ,ted at 1,5 to said blade so thatas the piston operates in one direction,A the bladev will be4 moved. in the other direction..y rlfhe cylinder l receives its airat both ends-` being for this purpose connected Witlrthe pressure tant: 16a by thelairline coinprisin g y which isl pivoted at 8 to the leveler frame 9, andI is4 connected by` the connectingred or reds lll The connectinn' rod` l0y has aA turnl llo `trom the controller to the other end of the cylinder; said controller 18 being adapted to connect, alternatively, the pipes 19 and 2O with the pipe 17.

` Said controller comprises a chamber formed by box 21, open at vthe top and having a lid 22 which is fastened to said box by cap screws 23; said box being made air tight and provided at its ends with stuffing boxes`24 for the valve-rod sections 25, 26, each of which is' provided with shoulders 27 and the block 28. Said rod sections are connected together by the boxy and pin screw joint 29 secured by jam nut' 30, for convenience of assembly,'and to secure against lost motion.

The controller box 21 is provided with upper compressed air chamber 31, in one compartment providedwith the valve seat 32 having the combined reversing pressure and exhaust ports 33, 34 spaced apart on opposite sides of the final exhaust port 35 discharging through exhaust pipe 35. The valve 36 is provided with a groundgface 37 fitting the ground lvalve seat 32 and is also provided with the passage 38 adapted to connect the ports 33 and 34alternatively with the exahust port 35. The valve 36 is constructed to alternatively openthe ports 33 and 34 to the interior of the chamber 31, and

to close both ports 33, 34. v

Compression springs 39 of exactly equal tension and equal operation are arranged with one end against the box wall; the other end engaging the stops 27' and holding the rod sections 25, 26 in position to maintain the slide 36 at neutral position; in which position both of the ports 33 and 34 are closed.'

Means are provided forsliding the valve rod in opposition to said springs 39, respectively; and for thisl purpose I have shown two treadles 40, 41 pivoted respectively. at 42 and 43 to the box 21 by brackets 44 preferably shown integral therewith.l Each treadle is provided with an operating arm 45 for a lost motion connection with the rod sections 25 and 26 respectively. vSaid lost motion connections are formed byboxes 46, screwed onto the ends of said valve rod sections, and held in place by jam nuts 47. The boxes 46 carry pins 48 working :in slots 49 in the treadle arms 45. The motion of the valve is limited by stops 5() against which the lugs 27 engage to prevent too great movement of the valve slide.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the trailersk 51 are each provided with the usual mechanical brakes 52 and also with a compressed air cylinder 53 and piston 54; said piston being in the cylinder and connected by piston rod 55 with an equalizer 56 that is lpivoted to the spring controlled rod 57 which `normally holds the brake band 58 expanded.`

The construction in which the pipe lines 19 and 20 are connected with the controller 18 pro-vided with the treadles 40, 41 corresponds to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The

connection with pipe 20 may be used for emergency purposes 1n case spring 57 fails to release the brake.

Each unit of the train hasthe tractor 1 and a leveler 2'and itsk adj uncts, or the truck 101 and trailers 51, having their pipe lines connected intermediately by flexible hose connections as at 59; and the air equipment for each vehiclecorresponds to that for the other. The storage tank 16 is connected with a compressor 60 on the tractor by a pipe 61.

In thebraking system the trailer and truck are controlled by the foot treadles and their valves in substantially the same way as is the case with the leveler blade. The

piston 54V for the brake may be of small cross-sectional area and is of limited stroke,

for example, 3 inches diameter and 6 inches stroke. y y

i The compressor 60 may be of any approved type connected to and operated by 'l the engine 62 which may be of any usual ltype.

Vor air chest 21 isdetachably secured airtight upon said box by the cap screws 63;

there being ay gasket64 to make the joint tight; said cap screws being screwed into seats 65 and holding thereon brackets 66 which support the stems v67 of foot pieces 68 operable by the foot of the driver. Each of the stems 67 is provided witha shoulder 69 supported by spring 70'resting on the treadle to normally uphold thefstem and tq y'ieldf ingly act upon the treadle. Said brackets are omitted from F ig. 2, where depressions 71 in the treadles are shown adapted to receive the lower end of the stern 67 shown in Fig. 6.

The springs 70 rest on the treadles and serve to return the foot pieces 68 to elevated position.' 'The springs 39 normally hold the valve rod sectionsy in the position indicated in Fig.2 to automatically closeboth com pressed air ports 33, 34. f

The foot pieces 68 are set aslantin parallelismy with the slant of 'the box cover 22 f so as to accommodate the foot of the operator.

@n.' theA first doWnivarfdl movement of the stein: 67; the spring 70 hasta tendency to start the pressure: down upon: the;` treadle; thusi the,` chamberoj the f stuiingfboxes While:` said lrsections are disconnected atA the joint. 29

Thiscan readily ber done-by reason of the slots- 72, in the,- stop 50! ywhich respectively reeeive'the rod sections.` Whellthe sections;

have been separately inseidz-edi` tl'irough the 16: end'wallsand stuliin'ggbox; chamber, they are then screwed; together at 29-`and tlie'jam nutsA 30, are tightened. Before thus assembling;`

the valveV rod sectionsy','thefspringsi39 are,`

placed in position. After the rod sectionsl Zfharein` place and connectedtogether., the glands-rofl` the stuiiing-bon` areV applied and screwed home; yand thenthe yblocks 46 are screwed home after vwhirh 1 the A p ins; 48 i are: in

, sertedthrouglr the boxing,y and bialiurcated 2511 treadles. The: method of assembling: other pants fof the: structurewill be apparent to the mechanic. The foot pieces may be threadedonv otherwise detachably secured to the stemsi?. 3erl The slots 72 are preferably, normal toithe y valve face 32 While the stem 67 is aslant; v bein-gy normal to the boxtop 22;: in consequence of which the `valve roch sectionsA 25 are; normally| locked against, movement in line v Withvmovement of thel stem 67.,

In; Figs. 10 and `11 vpartsisimilar toiparts shown in other views. are correspondingly marked.'4

l, The combi-nation with a'trucltor tractor and:V ai devicev drawn therebyy and" provided with an1l operable; part-g: of a compressed' air cylindervhavngfapiston therein connected' to operate.saidy operable-part; awsource; ofi com-y pressed; air 1 a. pipe leadingfiiromsaid. source; air` connections.. communicating with opposite endsfottlie cylindergzand av valv-.efonz thctractor and-arranged lect-Ween:4 ther pipe and said airconnections to control the admission andi exhaust of vairtc andI from` the opposite-f;

and; a.- dcvice draxvitthereby and puovided with an operable part;y of a` compressed aircylinder having a piston therein any air con-1l necltinr` communicating With `oppositeiends` of thecylinders a source ot compressed air; a5 pipey leadingfrom said sourcel and footoperated valve mounted on.A the tractor and arranged betvveeny the pipe andv said aircon-y 4L.` The combination With a trucl:` on tractor-i and. a device drawn therebyl and. provided with anl operable part; of a: compressed air cylinder havingy a piston'thereing, a sourcey oi? compressed air; a pipe leading-from said source;y air connections with opposite ends of the cylinder a foot-operated valve mountedf on theftruck4 or tractor'and arranged be tween; the compressed air pipe and connectionsto control thev admission and exhaust oiair to and from the"l opposite endsot the cylinder and treadles arranged respectively to shift theY valve from neutral; positionV toy selectively deliver air tQeitherend of the cylinder alternatively for operating the pis-A ton, and atI the same time to exhausti aint-rom the otherend. y'

The combination withy afcylinden and a pistoni therein; of'a source of compressed air a pipe leading to one end-ofthe cylinder; avpipe leading totheother end of the cylin der; a box havingfa chamber connected to receive compressed. air frointhe` airv source and provided with ports communicating respectively betweensaid compressedair chamber and said pipesA and alsoprovided with an exhaust port; a1 valve adapted to automati-- cally close all of said ports; and means oper` able by ai driver to alternatively open the compressed: air chamber to one end otthe cylinder and; close it to thefother` endvoii such cylinder7 and to4 open; such other endl of the cylinder to the exhaust; port.`

6. The combination with the compressed air chamberprovided with aavalve seat and three ports therein; oft a valve to` control the ports; a valve rod opcra'bly connected to tfhevalve and extendinp,fr through the Walls oli the chaml'ien; springs toV normally hold the val-ve closed; and treadles to respectively operate the valve rod in opposition to the spring substantially asV set tortlr In testimony whereof,` l.A have hereunto set my handl at Los Angel-es, California,4 this 31st day ci? July, 1920.

MORt IMER A. l'lARldISONL Witness: v

Jarras. R.` Towxsnnn.

icc 

